In the past, a gooseneck hinge has been used to connect a swinging closure such as a door to a vehicle. While a gooseneck hinge provides the necessary function, it suffers from a number of drawbacks. First, it may intrude substantially into the interior space of the vehicle when the enclosure is closed. Second, a gooseneck hinge has a relatively large open C-section which may lack the desired rigidity and allow for increased door sag. Third, the vehicle assembly process is relatively difficult as the gooseneck hinge must be inserted through a body side hole for attachment to the body.
This document relates to a closure assembly for a vehicle incorporating an integrated articulating exterior closure hinge and cover that is characterized by improved packaging efficiency (less intrusion into interior space), improved hinge rigidity and simpler and more efficient assembly. As a bonus, the new closure assembly has an added “wow” factor that draws attention to the vehicle.